Friends of the Earth Ireland is urging the country’s political leaders to reject the proposed EU-Mercosur trade deal “due to the serious threat it would pose to both farmers and the environment”.
The environmental organisation offered its support to French and Belgian farmers who are planning protests this week against the deal between the EU and five South American countries.
Earlier this month, the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) was joined by members of the the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) for a protest against the deal.
Mercosur deal
The EU and the Mercosur trade bloc – which includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia – reached an initial agreement in 2019.
However, negotiations stumbled due to opposition from farmers and some European governments.
It is understood that the European Commission is planning to finalise the controversial agreement at the G20 summit which takes place in Brazil this week.
Friends of the Earth Ireland said that the Mercosur deal “would increase agricultural imports from South America, worsen the climate crisis, undermine farmers’ livelihoods, and put human rights and environmental protections at risk”.
Election
As campaigning in the general election continues, the group said that it is vital that political parties reject the free-trade deal.
“We are calling on party leaders and general election candidates to pledge to reject the deal in its current form,” Sorcha Tunney, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Ireland, said.
“We want the public to stand up for climate action, and demand that trade agreements prioritise people, planet, and fairness over corporate interests.
“It’s impact on the environment, climate, and biodiversity is devastating. The negotiations took place behind closed doors, without any meaningful input from the public, civil society, or environmental organisations,” she said.
Tunney said that the deal will “hurt family farmers and local producers who are already struggling with the challenges posed by climate change and market volatility”.
“Ireland already strongly opposes the deal, which it believes will disproportionately benefit large agribusinesses at the expense of small-scale farmers in Ireland and Mercosur countries.
“But it is vital that during the general election campaign political parties reinforce the message that this deal, which prioritises corporate profits over climate protection, human rights, labour standards, and animal welfare issues, is opposed,” she said.
Tunney said that the deal is expected to “lead to a rise in overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as the increased demand for beef, poultry, and biofuels will put more pressure on the Amazon Rainforest and other critical ecosystems”.
As part of the deal the beef quote from Mercosur countries would increase by 50%, reaching 99,000t, while poultry imports from these countries would grow by 180,000t to over 1 million tonnes.
“We cannot afford to sacrifice our farmers, our environment, and our future for the benefit of multinational corporations.
“This deal is not just bad for farmers in Ireland and Europe—it’s bad for the planet. It’s time to reject it, and build trade agreements that protect the climate, people, and nature,” she added.